Rajasthan High Court
Honble DR. B.S. CHAUHAN, J.
Dayal Lal - Appellant
Versus
State of Rajasthan and Others - Respondents
S.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 1691 of 1997
Decided On : July 20, 2000
(2). The facts and circumstances giving rise to this case are that the posts of Physical Education Teachers were advertised and the petitioner applied for the same. The selection process was held. His name appeared in the select list and he was appointed vide order dated 11.12.96 (Annex.1). Petitioner joined the said post on 23.12.96 (Annex.2). His appointment has been cancelled vide order dated 13.1.97 (Annex.3) on the ground that he had wrongly been selected treating as Scheduled Caste candidate though petitioner belonged to Other Backward Class and when this mistake was rectified, his name could not appear amongst the successful candidates. Hence this Writ Petition.
(3). Mr. R.R. Vyas, learned counsel for the petitioner, has submitted that once the petitioner has, rightly or wrongly, been appointed in a permanent way, his services could not have been terminated without holding an inquiry. To fortify his submission, he has placed reliance upon the judgments in Shiva Ram vs. Jodhpur Central Co-operative Bank Ltd. (1) and Ramesh Kumar Sharma vs. State of Rajasthan & Ors. (2), wherein it has been held that observance of principles of natural justice is necessary even to modify an erroneous or illegal order.
(4). On the other hand, Mr. N.K. Vyas, learned counsel for the respondents, has submitted that immediately after the appointments were made, some complaints were lodged and an inquiry was held. When the entire matter was re-assessed, it was found that petitioner, who belonged to O.B.C. category, had been, by mistake, treated as a Scheduled Caste candidate. Petitioner secured 59.09% marks while the last selected candidate in the O.B.C. category had secured 68.92% marks and the last - selected General Category candidate had secured 68.96% marks and, therefore, respondents were bound to rectify the mistake and hence no illegality has been committed while passing the impugned order of cancelling the appointment of the petitioner. In such a case, it is not necessary to issue any notice or accord opportunity of hearing to the incumbent as hearing him would not serve any purpose whatsoever. In support of his submissions, learned counsel for the respondents has submitted the report (Annex.2) of the Fact Finding Committee, which makes it clear that petitioner had annexed a copy of the O.B.C. certificate alongwith his application form; however, by mistake, while preparing the result, he had been shown as a Scheduled Caste candidate at Serial No. 14. When he was placed in the list of the candidates belonging to O.B.C., he stood at Serial No. 118 though the candidates in O.B.C. category could be given appointments only upto Serial No. 19.
(5). I have considered the rival submissions.
(6). In absence of any allegation of malafide against the Member of the Fact Finding Committee and without asserting that the inquiry report is not correct, or the factum that petitioner belonged to O.B.C. category, the technical plea, taken by the petitioner, cannot be entertained. Petitioner has not filed any rejoinder-affidavit denying the contents of the reply, including the inquiry report. It is a plain and simple case of rectification of a mistake and as holding any inquiry in such a matter or issuing notice to the petitioner would not have served any purpose whatsoever rather it could have been an exercise in futility, petitioner cannot have any grievance against the impugned order.
(7). In State of U.P. vs. O.P. Gupta (3), the Honble Apex Court had observed that Courts have to examine whether the non- observance of any statutory provision or principle of natural justice have resulted in deflacting the course of justice. In S.L. Kapoor vs. Jag Mohan (4), the Honble Supreme Court has held that where from admi- tted or undisputed fact, only one conclusion is possible and under the law only one course is permis
3. State of U.P. vs. O.P. Gupta (AIR 1970 SC 679)
4. S.L. Kapoor vs. Jag Mohan (AIR 1981 SC 136)
5. A.K. Kraipak vs. Union of India & Ors. (AIR 1970 SC 150)
6. Khem Chand vs. Union of India (AIR 1958 SC 300)
7. Laxmi Shanker Pandey vs. Union of India & Ors. (AIR 1991 SC 1070)
1. Shiva Ram vs. Jodhpur Central Co-operative Bank Ltd. (1995 WLR 482)
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